Today we’d like to introduce you to Isabelle Avena.
Hi Isabelle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My career in modeling started way before I ever got in front of a camera. Growing up I had always been creative and started out as an illustrator and painter. I think learning about artistic principles from those disciplines gave me good foundations understanding composition from a photographers perspective, but also angles, lighting and poses. I used to draw other models in figure art classes, and eventually started modeling for those as well. The first time I posed in front of a camera was a complete accident. I had a photographer friend who booked a studio but had their model cancel last minute- and quickly texted me to be a substitute. I was really anxious at first and had no confidence I could pose at all, and like many others I felt like I wasn’t photogenic. I didn’t know how to handle a shoot professionally so I asked if we just shot as if we were hanging out having a good time, and we ended up inviting all our friends to shoot and support one another! I even asked for some wine to help me loosen up and not force a horrific smile haha. Before that moment I had always been the creator behind the scenes, never my own subject and always creating alone. But for the first time I saw how much collaboration goes into working with a photographer and model, and when I started getting into runway shows adding stylists and hmuas. I enjoyed creating so much more and knew I wanted to pursue my ideas with a team instead.
Since then I started pursuing my own creative direction and putting together my own teams for shoots. Having a team of reliable people you know you work well with makes the quality of the work and experience much better. I also joined local zine GLAZE as a model and layout designer where I get to combine my passions for graphic design and modeling in one project! All these connections helped me find more opportunities which I share to all the creatives I know through some group chats I help manage. And in turn the community gives back and I’ve been able to walk in over 15 runways within the last year.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I feel like all journeys, it has definitely not been a smooth road. For a while I struggled with burnout and what I really wanted to do. I doubted myself a lot and told myself many times I just wasn’t what people were looking for. I had pictures I kinda liked of myself but not any that made others want to cast me. For my first year I did mostly TFP shoots, kindof throwing myself out there for any collaboration possible to grow my portfolio, but I wasn’t really in love with any of them and there was barely any concept for most of them. I realized that wasn’t what I truly wanted to do, and maybe that showed to others also. I started limiting my TFPs and started coming up with my own creative ideas instead. I became way more passionate about those and created far more interesting works that gave me my “edge”. I also didn’t have a lot of confidence to go to castings at first, and I was extremely nervous and unprepared my first one. Surprisingly I made it in with the little practice I did right before! After that it was a few months of rejections and I started to feel like I got my hopes up… but I kept practicing and showing up anyways! Nowadays I even force myself to go to castings that are 5’7″ and up even though I’m 5’1″ normally. I went and even though I didn’t get casted (I wouldn’t have fit the clothes anyways) they didn’t kick me out, or say anything or discourage me from casting at all. I got treated the same way as everyone else knowing I was at a disadvantage and still gave them my comp card!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
By day, I work a typical 9-5 as a UI Designer in the tech industry, but at night I spend my 5-9s and weekends modeling, creating posters and editing my own photos. Recently the thing that sets me apart from others and what I’m most proud of is getting together a full team of hmuas, photographers, models, and stylists to put together some crazy fantasy ideas that require a lot of imagination and using my years of Photoshop and illustration to completely replace the background and make creative edits of our shoots. My most recent design was for a floral themed shoot, where we had a designer spend 6 months creating a mesh floral dress for me- a completely customized look to my measurements and using that against a solid white backdrop that I replaced and edited myself to sit or stand on flowers. I also used Blender to 3D model a background for the shoot!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I would define success as something that makes you proud. Not necessarily by numbers but you could say “I’m proud I accomplished my goal of 10 castings this year” or it could be as simple as “I’m happy I posted a project I’m proud of!”
Pricing:
- $75/hr – Regular shoots
- $100/hr – Brand or commercial shoots.
- $250 – Graphic Designs for shoots
- $100 – Graphic design instagram posts / flyers
- $75 – Runway day fee.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://isabelleavena.framer.website/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b3lle.exe
Image Credits
Soylentgreenphotography / Kennedy Ynclan
JasonxPhotography
Merith Schrödinger
Christopher Davila
Picklefigphoto
Miciah Ogwin
Jackxmua
Abigail Goldman
Rainey St.Laurent
Tian Seely
Defi.arsenal
Hardboiledeggs
NailsbyNicoExos
